Gisela McIntyre nee Mayer-Aspiring Writer and Contributor on Book Creators Circle
During my childhood I was praised for my essay writing at school. In 1958, when I was in my twenties, I migrated to Australia and my interest in writing continued. I began writing seriously in Bundaberg about ten years ago. While living there I attended TAFE College, completed a U3A course in writing and joined the local Writer's Club to further my interest. I travelled extensively in Europe, Australia and the USA. I now live on the Gold Coast.
The local paper has published some of my poetry and this encouraged me to write more. Several of my contributions were published in the column under 'My Say' after which I began writing several short stories.
To celebrate my husband's 70th birthday I self-published his family's memoirs and then began to record my own son's story. This book and a collection of my fictional short stories can be found in the Canberra and Brisbane libraries - ISBN 0-646-40510-1 and 0-9578479-0-4.
These efforts have prompted me to begin writing my autobiography. Initially, it was only written for my family but I changed my mind and decided to paint a larger picture. I have been working on this for several years. It gives an insight into my life both in Europe and in Australia.
I begin with my family's history and describe traumatic events during and after the Second World War. Much of the story is derived from my father's diaries, which he kept from the age of 15 to his passing. His notes and diaries date to the First World War and became an invaluable record and information of those eventful times.
For me, the years after the war proved to be more turbulent than those during the war. After primary and high school, I was apprenticed to a solicitor for 3 years. Part of my training included shorthand which I hated and wasn't suited for. I also worked with the big electrical company called Siemens. I earned a very good wage and purchased a Vespa motor scooter.
Unfortunately, I was involved in a bad road accident, which kept me at home for several long weeks. During my recovery I began searching for pen-pals through a popular magazine. Replies to the advertisement flooded in. A correspondent from Australia caught my attention and became very interesting to me. While considering migration I worked in Switzerland and there I met a young man, another of my correspondents. I spent two years in Switzerland but the Swiss life style was not for me. Meanwhile letters from Australia kept arriving. During a severe winter in Switzerland I became very ill with sinus. When the offer came to join my male friend in warm Queensland, I packed up and left Europe.
The ship I sailed on was the Dutch ship named 'Sibajak'. Many single Australian and New Zealand passengers of both sexes made this an interesting voyage. We travelled for seven weeks through the Panama Canal and called into Tahiti before arriving in Sydney. I often wondered what became of my young fellow passengers. Hopefully some will see this website and contact me.
After meeting up with my faithful pen friend, we were married within three months. Our union lasted forty wonderful years and ended with his death.
My autobiography detailing the above is being edited at present.
My aim now is to have my work published. |
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